NATIONAL GUARD WORKING GROUP
NATIONAL GUARD WORKING GROUP
We owe it to the men and women of the National Guard to make wise decisions about how we will draw upon their service—and we owe it to each other as Americans.
In 2023, Count Every Hero convened a group of former civilian defense and retired military leaders who are committed to supporting elected officials, current National Guard leaders, and others in keeping the National Guard a strong, ready, and trusted military force in the service of all Americans.
Led by former National Guard Bureau chiefs General (Ret.) Craig McKinley and General (Ret.) Joseph Lengyel, the Working Group includes former Adjutants General and other state and federal civilian and military leaders.
Statement of Principles on Domestic Deployment of the National Guard
Deploying the Guard on U.S. soil is a decision that should always be made judiciously. We hope that these principles help decision-makers ensure that domestic missions are appropriate, non-politicized, and in keeping with what’s best for our nation, our states, and the Guard.
In April 2024, Count Every Hero convened a panel of retired high-ranking military and former senior defense officials at the Brookings Institution to discuss the recent surge in unconventional state-directed National Guard deployments and what that means for the U.S. military and the 2024 election.
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does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.